Roethlisberger Receives Positive News on Elbow Recovery

More positive news on the injury front for Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

According to the Post-Gazette’s Ron Cook, Roethlisberger received a “good report” from his doctor visit on Friday.

Ben Roethlisberger on doctor visit Friday: "It was a good report. I got to bypass the tennis ball throwing for a month and go right to the football. Still going to be about 2.5-3 months until I get total clearance from doc but we are doing good!

Continuing his conversation with Cook, Roethlisberger said “it felt amazing to throw” and that “it was hard to hold the smile in.”

Ben Roethlisberger on throwing a football Saturday for the first time since his elbow surgery: "It felt amazing to throw. It was hard to hold the smile in. 2 more throwing sessions while I’m out here in California and then headed back to the burgh."

INDIANAPOLIS — While much of the football world frets about whether Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be able to return to his All-Pro form after season-ending elbow surgery in 2019, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert is wondering about something else.

He’s wondering if Roethlisberger can be even better than he was before the injury.

Colbert feels that the time off from the game and lack of wear and tear over the nine months could be beneficial for Roethlisberger come September, and he also wonders if the injury wasn’t precipitated by a period of less than full performance from Roethlisberger’s right arm.

“He didn’t play a season, so physically, he should be better,” Colbert said while speaking with local reporters at the NFL Combine. “The arm, who knows? His arm might be stronger coming out of the surgery. You never know the extent of an injury. When it happens, it happens, but how long was it bothering him without him evening knowing it?”

The Steelers have not disclosed the nature of the surgical procedure that Roethlisberger underwent in September. Baseball pitchers that undergo Tommy John surgery on their throwing elbow do sometimes see an increase in velocity after the surgery, so Colbert’s idea is not without merit.

He’s also not concerned about the conditioning level of his 37-year old quarterback. Roethlisberger took some criticism in the national media for his apparent level of fitness in a video released by the team over the week of him resuming throwing a football.

“His physical shape is fine,” Colbert said. “I never worry about a player’s physical appearance in the offseason.”

Colbert did not give a specific date for when he feels Roethlisberger will be able to return to the football field and said the Steelers’ focus is on the start of the season and not a particular portion of the offseason workouts.

“We have to make sure that he is there for September,” Colbert said. “I think that’s something that the docs will figure out. Everyone understands that it’s game days that are most important, but of course participating in OTAs or whatever he can will be part of his ability to have a great season.”

Colbert did admit that rust and adjusting to new teammates will be factors for Roethlisberger to overcome, but on the whole, feels positive about his quarterback’s prognosis for 2020.

The team has still not released a specific diagnosis or prognosis for Roethlisberger’s right, throwing elbow, but general manager Kevin Colbert has remained steadfast that the team expects h

“He’s a great quarterback that suffered a season-ending injury to his right arm,” Colbert said in a recent meeting with local media. “Optimistically, he’s on schedule to return and we hope he returns to a better Ben Roethlisberger.”

Roethlisberger, 37, played in just two games in 2019, leaving the Steelers’ Week 2 loss to Seattle in the first half. He finished with 351 yards on 35 of 62 passing and set career lows in completion percentage (56.5) and passer rating (66.0)

He is entering the first year of a two-year contract extension that will pay him $21 million in 2020.

Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is not expected to play this Sunday after re-aggravating his knee injury in practice on Thursday, according to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Smith-Schuster had been a full participant in practice on Wednesday, but was listed as a limited participant on Thursday.

The third-year Steelers wide receiver has not played since Nov. 14, when he suffered both a concussion and an undisclosed left knee injury. Smith-Schuster was taken out of the NFL’s concussion protocol after missing one game the following week at Cincinnati, but missed two more games while rehabbing the knee injury.

Smith-Schuster’s absence has meant more playing time for rookie Diontae Johnson, who had six catches for 60 yards in the Steelers’ Week 14 win over the Arizona Cardinals. James Washington, Johnny Holton and Deon Cain have also seen expanded roles in Smith-Schuster’s absence.

The Steelers will host the Buffalo Bills at 8:20 p.m. on Sunday night at Heinz Field.